British woman killed by gunmen at Nigerian holiday resort

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Faye Mooney had been working in Nigeria for a non-governmental organisation

A British woman was one of two people shot dead by gunmen who stormed a holiday resort in Nigeria.

The British High Commission confirmed the death of the woman, who was named by her employers as Faye Mooney.

A Mercy Corps statement said Ms Mooney, who was working in Nigeria, was “tragically killed” by gunmen while on holiday in the northern city of Kaduna.

Local police said a Nigerian man was also killed, and three others were kidnapped during the attack on Friday.

Kidnapping for ransom is common in Nigeria, with foreigners and high-profile Nigerians frequently targeted.

Image Copyright @UKinNigeria@UKinNigeria

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Image Copyright @UKinNigeria@UKinNigeria

Report

Ms Mooney was employed in Nigeria as a communication specialist for the non-governmental organisation Mercy Corps, which said it was “utterly heartbroken”.

Neal Keny-Guyer, Mercy Corps chief executive, said she had worked with the company for almost two years “leading efforts to counter hate speech and violence” in Nigeria.

He said the graduate of University College London and the London School of Economics, who had previously worked in Iraq and Kosovo, was “an inspiration to us all”.

Police said there had been no claim of responsibility for the incident and the kidnappers were yet to be identified.

A spokesman said a group armed with dangerous weapons had gained entry to Kajuru Castle and began shooting sporadically, killing two people and kidnapping three others.